I hunted Columbia Whitetails this year, with some guide friends of mine. Another hunter was using a 6.8mm, with Remington factory ammo, 115 gr Core-Loct Ultra bullets. This cartidge is a .223 necked up to .277, with a mv around 2500 fps. This hunter shot a nice buck, on film, at 125 yds, the first evening he was there. Perfect shoulder hit, the buck reared and kicked both rear legs, and took off. He didn't die! Many hours and people searching, no deer. He was seen several times the next few days, limping, with a wound on the shoulder. We all suspected bullet failure.
The other hunter finally shot another buck on the last day of the season, about 100 yds. He puposely shot it in the ribs, for maximun penetration. It went down quickly, but the had to finish it.
Both bullets expanded violently on impact. The entrance wound through the ribs was about 3" diameter, as was the kill shot in the shoulder. The bloodshot area was about as big as a basketball in both spots, ruining the whole front rt side of the deer. Nothing exited, and minimal damage to the rib cage opposite the entry. We could not find any fragments.
I killed a bigger bodied buck at 200 yds with a .270 Win and a 130 gr Triple-shock. It entered the shoulder, quartered back, and exited the last rib. The bloodshot area was only about 3" in diameter, very little lost meat.
After looking at my buck hanging next to his, the other hunter declared he was "going to have a talk with Remington". He writes and does TV shows for a living, and must use his sponser's stuff. He was VERY unhappy!
Conclusion: Same caliber, lower velocity, Core-Lokts failed. If you are serious about harvesting animals cleanly, and like to eat them, Triple-Shocks and Failsafes are the best bullets to use.
The other hunter finally shot another buck on the last day of the season, about 100 yds. He puposely shot it in the ribs, for maximun penetration. It went down quickly, but the had to finish it.
Both bullets expanded violently on impact. The entrance wound through the ribs was about 3" diameter, as was the kill shot in the shoulder. The bloodshot area was about as big as a basketball in both spots, ruining the whole front rt side of the deer. Nothing exited, and minimal damage to the rib cage opposite the entry. We could not find any fragments.
I killed a bigger bodied buck at 200 yds with a .270 Win and a 130 gr Triple-shock. It entered the shoulder, quartered back, and exited the last rib. The bloodshot area was only about 3" in diameter, very little lost meat.
After looking at my buck hanging next to his, the other hunter declared he was "going to have a talk with Remington". He writes and does TV shows for a living, and must use his sponser's stuff. He was VERY unhappy!
Conclusion: Same caliber, lower velocity, Core-Lokts failed. If you are serious about harvesting animals cleanly, and like to eat them, Triple-Shocks and Failsafes are the best bullets to use.